No Blues
Wes Montgomery, 1965, from Smokin' at the Half Note. Solo by Wes Montgomery.
No Blues, recorded live at the Half Note with Wynton Kelly's trio, shows Wes Montgomery's famous three-stage approach to soloing. He begins with single-note lines picked with his thumb, moves to his trademark octaves, and finally builds to full block chords, each stage raising the intensity. His thumb gives the tone a warm, rounded attack, far softer than a pick. The playing swings hard, with a relaxed confidence that makes the complex lines sound effortless. The solo became a model for jazz guitarists learning how to pace a long improvisation. Listen for the transition from octaves to chords, where the texture thickens and the solo takes on the power of a big band section.
No Blues by Wes Montgomery is ranked #233 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Wes Montgomery and the song was released in 1965. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #2 (uDiscover Music).
In our lists
- The 25 Greatest Jazz Guitar Solos — #9
- Greatest Live Solos — #14
- The Best Wes Montgomery Guitar Solos — #6
Sources
- uDiscover Music: The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: 108 Amazing Moments — #2
- Jazzfuel: 10 Iconic Jazz Guitar Solos Everyone Should Know
Who played the guitar solo on No Blues?
Wes Montgomery played the solo on Wes Montgomery's No Blues (1965).
What guitar was used on the No Blues solo?
A gibson l-5, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does No Blues rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#233 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.